Mission College vs. CSM

Comparable Facts

Compare Mission College in Santa Clara, CA with College of San Mateo in San Mateo, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

College of San Mateo is larger than Mission College based on total student enrollment (9,901 students vs. 6,909 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Mission College is located in Santa Clara, CA (Rural Fringe setting); College of San Mateo is in San Mateo, CA (Small City setting).
• Mission College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. College of San Mateo is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Mission College 26:1; College of San Mateo 24:1.

Mission College vs. CSM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mission College or CSM? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of San Mateo than Mission College ($5,831 vs. $7,646).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of San Mateo are 11.5% lower than at Mission College ($31,288 vs. $35,361).
• Mission College is 8% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSM (about $106 more per year; $1,438.00 vs. $1,332.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 9.8% higher at Mission College than at College of San Mateo (about $1,116 more per year; $12,500.00 vs. $11,384.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of San Mateo than at Mission College (80% vs. 78%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Mission College students is 9.9% larger than aid received by College of San Mateo students ($4,820 vs. $4,386).

Mission College vs. CSM Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Mission College or CSM? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between CSM and Mission College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Mission College - Open admission; CSM - Open admission.

Mission College vs. CSM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Mission College and CSM? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from College of San Mateo earn a median of about $2,800 more per year than Mission College graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,800 vs. $42,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More CSM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mission College students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 49%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.